Stolen Generation Poll

[Guest Aldo]

Some very good posts but i feel that some things need clarifying (to me anyway).

1. Is an "apology" the same as being "sorry" ? for example, if I spill a mans beer i usually apologise by saying sorry and i am admitting responsibility for spilling his beer.

2. I see an old friend whose mother recently passed away, I say "sorry to hear of your loss" Although I have said sorry, in no way was i responsible for the death of his mother.

 

Abo is Aboriginal abbreviated. How would anyone be offended by that? Pom on the other hand is a blatant insult by anyone's standards yet is acceptable. Someone explain this to a dumb ex bricky.

[Quoll]

Some very good posts but i feel that some things need clarifying (to me anyway).

1. Is an "apology" the same as being "sorry" ? for example, if I spill a mans beer i usually apologise by saying sorry and i am admitting responsibility for spilling his beer.

2. I see an old friend whose mother recently passed away, I say "sorry to hear of your loss" Although I have said sorry, in no way was i responsible for the death of his mother.

 

Abo is Aboriginal abbreviated. How would anyone be offended by that? Pom on the other hand is a blatant insult by anyone's standards yet is acceptable. Someone explain this to a dumb ex bricky.

 

Sorry has a particular cultural significance to the aboriginal community apparently although of course the word is an English word and so you do wonder about how that came about.

 

Abo on the other had is derogatory and is not in "nice usage" in the same way as you wouldnt use nigger or boong in today's society. It may be an abbreviation but it is value laden and therefore not to be used.

Pom - you come here you just have to put up with it. Try taking that one to the HRC

[Guest Aldo]

Pom - you come here you just have to put up with it.

 

 

Just about sums it up

[Guest BullcreekBob]

Abo is Aboriginal abbreviated. How would anyone be offended by that?

 

Nigger is an abreviation of Nigerian. Many are offended by the term.

 

If you are the sort of person to walk around South London calling Nigerian people niggers, then perhaps I see why would call Aboriginal people "Abo's" , but either way I'd think that you are not the sort of migrant we should be welcoming here. I'd suggest you go back to the UK or be prepared to change your ways and accept that here in Aus, we live by different rules and standards.

 

Bob in Bull Creek

[Guest BullcreekBob]

Not one intelligent indigenous Australian reading my posts on this topic would fail to grasp that I use the term "Abo" simply and solely in order to save endless typing errors

 

Gollywobbler

 

As you can tell, your posts have offended me. They have also offended an indigenous Australian friend of who likes to think of herself as intellegent, after all she practiced law for 25yrs. She is currently preparing a letter to send to Tim, the administrator and owner of this site seeking to have you and your offensive language removed.

 

That you should consider her to be unintellegent because she disagrees with you, and on a subject she probably knows far more about than you, is absurd.

 

Bob Johnson

[Guest Aldo]

I'd think that you are not the sort of migrant we should be welcoming here.

wind your neck in!

[Guest fatpom]

Gollywobbler

 

As you can tell, your posts have offended me. They have also offended an indigenous Australian friend of who likes to think of herself as intellegent, after all she practiced law for 25yrs. She is currently preparing a letter to send to Tim, the administrator and owner of this site seeking to have you and your offensive language removed.

 

That you should consider her to be unintellegent because she disagrees with you, and on a subject she probably knows far more about than you, is absurd.

 

Bob Johnson

 

You need to sit down and take an Asprin mate.

 

I don't think this is the first time I've seen the word used on this site... its almost always used by people who don't know the potential to offend just as Aussies don't realise that calling the Pakistani cricket team members Paki's is highly offensive too... I nearly fell off my chair when I first arrived and heard that word on TV. Strangely enough the Pakistanis didn't seem to mind???? :smile: Its all about context.

[Guest fatpom]

Which policy is it that states "breeding out through forced taking of childeren" ? I am not aware of any state policies that are actually explicit in this but would be really interested in having a reference to them.

!

 

Transcript of a section Kevin Rudds speech today. Sorry, had to wait for it to be loaded to the internet.

 

"that this policy was taken to such extremes by some in administrative authority that the forced extractions of children of so-called ‘mixed lineage’ were seen as part of a broader policy of dealing with ‘the problem of the Aboriginal population’.

One of the most notorious examples of this approach was from the Northern Territory Protector of Natives, who stated: "Generally by the fifth and invariably by the sixth generation, all native characteristics of the Australian aborigine are eradicated.

"The problem of our half-castes— to quote the protector— will quickly be eliminated by the complete disappearance of the black race, and the swift submergence of their progeny in the white ... " "

 

Full transcript of PM's speech | The Australian

 

Not pretty Ehh?!!!

[Quoll]

No, half castes were a particular problem and they were very badly treated by the full bloods of the time. Poor little blighters were neither fish nor fowl so it was probably quite a reasonable premise to acknowledge their white half and give them the benefits of the white ancestry that they had. Interesting that current theory has it that only the black half was worth mentioning in most cases with the black culture to be preserved at all costs and the white half can go hang.

[Guest John Sydney]

OK - Interesting views from both sides of the coin. I still hold my view that it a waste of time and something else should be done. I am not on a guilt trip

[Guest kdal]

:cry: Just read this thread and why oh why did it have to turn out like this :cry: Debating is one thing but I am sure no one meant no harm.

 

This is such interesting reading and I tend to be with Aldo, and I am sitting on that fence!!! I have read what everyone has to say but still do not understand the full extent of what really happened and I wasnt there so probably never will. But on the other hand thank you all for enlightning me more.

 

However having said all that I am a little here with Quoll, and that is because my cousin has worked with the aborginies and in the end they did have to leave as it was a dangerous place for their daughter to grow up in. So obviously I have listened to what they had to say and maybe that has swayed how I feel.

 

My son has taken History here in the UK as part of his GCSE's, can anyone tell me is this topic i.e. Aborginies, covered in the Australian History classes?

 

Thanks all

[Lynandsean]

Hi Lyn & Sean

 

Everything you say about your friend's dealings with the Abos simply re-inforces my own convictions about this topic.

 

Just one minor point, though!!!:smile:

 

 

 

I don't think that's quite how it was, hon. Britain only did away with the hangman's noose the year before I was born. There have been countless post-hostumous pardons since then because basically we murdered peiople in or own back-yard following miscarriages of justice which proved to be fatal for the victims of our flawed legal system.

 

Have you read about Rebecca Wade? She was about 10 when she was transported to Oz in the late 1780s, having committed some crime or other so trivial that it would go unpunished today. Somebody traced her family tree. There are something like 300 Aussies today who can trace their ancestry back to Rebecca Wade because she was so young when she was sent there.

 

Cheers

 

Gill

 

 

Hi Gill

 

I accept your point graciously!!! you are so right. I have many books still to read about early Australian days as I love the subject, as does my OH and was aware of Rebecca Wade but not in detail however I do look forward to learning more about her.

 

And to all others on here - I too used the term 'Abo' in my post BUT IT WAS NOT meant to be used in a derogatory way AT ALL anymore than Gill so therefore I apologise if I have offended

[Guest fatpom]

Just read this thread and why oh why did it have to turn out like this Debating is one thing but I am sure no one meant no harm.

 

 

Now that everyone seems to have calmed down a little. :biglaugh: What is to be learned from this little spat?

 

Most migrants who read the reference to the "A" word should have known imediately that people back in the UK who used it did so without any realisation of its potential to offend.

 

I can fully understand any aussies with no links to the UK would be shocked and possibly offended because they would assume and expect that "you know". So the only conclusion they can draw is that you are being deliberately racist or offensive.

 

Most UK based people who have no ties or interest in Aus wouldn't know this (the sensitivity over the "A" word) and whats more wouldn't give a damn. I made reference earlier to aussies using the "P" word with reference to Pakistani's (including sports commentators on TV). I recall bringing this issue up with my aussie friends as an observation and not in any inflamatory way... it just confirmed for them that I'm totally nuts. :biglaugh: They couldn't even register what I was talking about. They still see no issue with the "P" word and in Australia it appears its not.

 

I learnt an important lesson over this issue... my 'world view' wasn't like theirs in some aspects. Obviously its up me to understand and accommodate... as I'm the outsider not them. Its still a learning process. :smile:

[calNgary]

Oh my god ,i havnt really been following this post but am pretty surprised by these last pages of posts.99% of folks i have spoken to since i arrived here call them abo's ,i really didnt realise it was so offensive,especially in a country like this where i have never heard so much swearing and slang used in everyday life.I like Gill would have used the same term without meaning it to be offensive,its a figure of speach like ,pom,paki,kiwi etc,,,its certainly opened my eyes as tv presenters etc quite openly speak about''black people'' etc on telly,Oz is the last place id call PC!

Cal X

[Quoll]

I think we all understand that making a mistake once is perfectly acceptable and different cultures have different mores. However, I would have thought that if you learned that something was culturally not acceptable that you would not then repeat that "mistake" and justify it on rather puerile grounds. Purely a matter of courtesy really and if you are coming as an immigrant to a new country then it really is up to you to suss out what goes and what does not.

[Guest Aldo]

Has anyone ever actualy asked an Aboronal person WHY they (as a group generaly) find the term Abo offencive?

[Guest fatpom]

Oh my god ,i havnt really been following this post but am pretty surprised by these last pages of posts.99% of folks i have spoken to since i arrived here call them abo's ,i really didnt realise it was so offensive,especially in a country like this where i have never heard so much swearing and slang used in everyday life.I like Gill would have used the same term without meaning it to be offensive,its a figure of speach like ,pom,paki,kiwi etc,,,its certainly opened my eyes as tv presenters etc quite openly speak about''black people'' etc on telly,Oz is the last place id call PC!

Cal X

As I said its a learning process. :smile: By now I would have thought you would have known that the "A" word is unacceptable?

 

However, yes, you will hear the word used very commonly in private social groups... and I certainly do.

 

Its not worth taking to task anyone using it as the great vast majority know they shouldn't because it usually signals racist attitudes towards aboriginals... some very very nasty indeed (does this answer your question Aldo?).

I've got good mates (most rural born and bred but not all) who are very racist towards aboriginals. They simply can't help it, they were brought up that way and quite probably they'll pass it on to their kids also.

I'm not a bleeding heart over this issue. There are plenty of non white people who make racist remarks daily and they are often oblivious to their failings also. :smile: That's how we are!

[calNgary]

To be honest Fatpom i havnt heard of any unacceptable words within reason obviously ,,the language and words used over here was certainly an eye opener to me ,,and thats coming from a very open minded manchester girl!!lol,,I hate some of the 'words' the kids and school use but i cant tell my kids off for trying to fit in ,,i think the icing on the cake was when the Dr referred to my daughters privtaes(or peep as we call it) as her fanny!!!!My son who is 9 had the pee taken out of him by other kids his age for referring to his bits as a widge! ,apparantly its dick here,,each to their own i guess .Guess ill avoid the 'A' word if it offends so much as thats the last thing id want ,just seems strange how an abreviation is ''offensive'',lets just hope the PC brigade dont sink Oz like they sunk the UK!

 

Cal x

[Guest fatpom]

Yes, the word in itself is just a word. I suppose its considered offensive to some because over time (decades) its been a word used when intimidating and abusing both racially and socially aboriginals.

So rather than solve the real problem our social engineers try to ban the word associated with it (and to think we're the smartest animals on this planet? :smile:).

 

"peep" that's a new one on me. :biglaugh:

[Guest Aldo]

Its not worth taking to task anyone using it as the great vast majority know they shouldn't because it usually signals racist attitudes towards aboriginals... some very very nasty indeed (does this answer your question Aldo?).

 

 

 

No. My question was

Has anyone ever actualy asked an Aboronal person WHY they (as a group generaly) find the term Abo offensive?

What I want to know is why the WORD Abo is offensive and the word POM is not.

Is typing the word also deemed offensive as I see some here are using "A" word.

Is it the same kind of thing as Africans being able to call fellow Africans N****r but not Whitey (though cracker or honkey is fine)

[Stuju]

Hi All,

Very interesting yet touchy subject,

I did read here recently that (whilst in the library)

 

Each time the word Aboriginal is written it is suppose to have a capital letter & that if librarians have to use the first 3 letters of a subject name then it is suggested that they use ABL.

 

 

 

Abo

 

/abo/ • noun (pl. Abos) Austral. informal, offensive an Aboriginal.

 

 

[Guest fatpom]

No. My question was What I want to know is why the WORD Abo is offensive and the word POM is not.

 

Because life isn't fair... be thankful you're called a pom. :smile: Its not the "A" word in itself, that's trivial in my opinion, its the way that they get treated by others or some others in society. Its not pretty at all in worst form. You might recall maybe 6-12 months back this came up on national news and current affairs (calling someone a pom being racist). Few people cared and it died away.

Is typing the word also deemed offensive as I see some here are using "A" word.

Don't know but why push it?

Is it the same kind of thing as Africans being able to call fellow Africans N****r but not Whitey (though cracker or honkey is fine)

Quite probably? I've never heard an aboriginal refer or call another with this name but I guess it does occurr?

[Guest Aldo]

You even write like a bl00dy native

Quite probably? I've never heard an aboriginal refer or call another with this name but I guess it does occurr?

Turning every sentance into a question (forget the name for it)

But back to offensive words, hear's some i find offensive:

 

Absolutly

Buddy :arghh:

morone

yoooogert

soccer

thong (flipflop is a much cooler word)

[Guest fatpom]

You even write like a bl00dy native

 

Turning every sentance into a question (forget the name for it)

But back to offensive words, hear's some i find offensive:

 

Absolutly

Buddy :arghh:

morone

yoooogert

soccer

thong (flipflop is a much cooler word)

 

What about "rain"? :twitcy:

[Quoll]

You even write like a bl00dy native

 

Turning every sentance into a question (forget the name for it)

But back to offensive words, hear's some i find offensive:

 

Absolutly

Buddy :arghh:

morone

yoooogert

soccer

thong (flipflop is a much cooler word)

 

Dearie me, perhaps you had better go back whence you came if you cant stand "thongs" , they are an Aussie icon and absolutely never to be ridiculed:no: